Modesty — Cares About Others

 

I know that this week’s topic can be kind of controversial.  Usually there is much heated debate on blogs and Facebook about this subject.  However, it is very important to modesty, and one of the many reasons we are called to be modest.  So, I cannot write without addressing the topic of dressing with a concern towards others’ weaknesses in sin.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  (Matthew 5:27-28)

This is not to say that the person who wears skimpy clothing is responsible for that guy’s sin of thought. 

Our Response

I have found in almost all situations we are in that there are three stages.  First, there is whatever has happened.  Second, there is the initial gut reaction.  And then there is our response.

Our true response comes from the heart and it is what we are judged on:

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?  Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?  (Proverbs 24:12)

This is why it is so important.  We have been talking about coming up against difficulties when we have felt that we are following God’s will.  First, we have the closed door or blocked path.  Then, we have the initial, “is this what I’m supposed to be doing?”  But the most important thing of all in this is our response.

So what should our response be?

Forget Thomas. I’m the one who doubts!

Let me just start off by saying that this post took me a long time to write.  I kept finding example after example after example of people who doubted God’s plan for their life, doubted Jesus, doubted His work, that it was hard to pick an example.  After deciding on the one that I would use to represent what I wanted to say in this post and still having all the rest on my mind, I have to say that I can’t think of a more useful tool to derail a Christian from what God wants him/her to do than doubt.